Swinging and climbing exercise apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a base frame having a rear track and a front column, a handle attached to the column for supporting a user, a lever includes an upper portion pivotally attached to an upper portion of the column and a lower portion movably engaged with the track of the base frame for guiding the lever to rotate relative to the column, and a support device is slidably and movably engaged with the lever for moving up and down along the lever and for allowing the user to conduct either the swinging exercise or the climbing or elevating exercise or to exercise or train either his upper muscle groups or his abdominal muscle groups with a single exercise machine.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a swinging and climbing or elevating exercise apparatus or combination, and more particularly to an exercise apparatus including a swinging structure and a climbing or elevating structure for allowing the user to conduct either the swinging exercise or the climbing or elevating exercise with a single exercise apparatus or machine.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical exercise apparatuses have been developed and provided for conducting or operating various exercise operations, such as rotating, swinging, twisting, skiing or sliding exercises, and normally comprise a foot pad or seat cushion for supporting the user.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,463 to Kleinnibbelink discloses one of the typical exercise apparatuses comprising a support brace disposed on a base frame, two shaft parts pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted to the support brace or the base frame, and a plate pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted to one of the shaft parts for conducting or operating the alpine skiing training operations.

However, the user may only twist or exercise or train his waist portion only, but may not be used to conduct or operate the other exercise operations.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,389 to Chen discloses another typical exercise apparatus comprising a mount slidably secured on an elongate slide platform and a foot rest rotatably attached or mounted on top of the mount for conducting or operating the sliding or twisting or skiing operations, and a pair of foldable foot pedal bars for selectively operating the stepping or climbing exercise operations.

However, the user may not exercise or train the muscle groups in his abdominal portion or may not exercise or train his upper muscle groups.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,262 to Shih, U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,182 to Shih, U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,159 to Chuang, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,657 to Chuang disclose several further typical exercise apparatuses each comprising a rotary member pivotally or rotatably or swingably attached or mounted to a base frame for conducting or operating the twisting or rotating or swinging or skiing training operations.

However, similarly, the user may not exercise or train the muscle groups in his abdominal portion or may not exercise or train his upper muscle groups, and the user may have to purchase another exercise apparatus to conduct or operate the other exercise operations.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional swinging or twisting exercise apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a swinging and climbing or elevating exercise apparatus including a swinging structure and a climbing or elevating structure for allowing the user to conduct either the swinging or the climbing or elevating exercise with a single exercise apparatus or machine.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exercise apparatus comprising a base frame including a track provided in a rear portion of the base frame, and including a column extended upwardly from a front portion of the base frame, a handle attached to the column for supporting a user, a lever including an upper portion pivotally attached to an upper portion of the column, and including a lower portion movably engaged with the track of the base frame for guiding the lever to rotate relative to the column, and a support device slidably and movably engaged with the lever for moving up and down along the lever and for allowing the user to conduct or operate either the swinging exercise or the climbing exercise with a single exercise apparatus or machine.

The lever includes a barrel attached to the upper portion of the lever and pivotally engaged with the upper portion of the column. The column includes an anchor attached to the upper portion of the column and engaged with the barrel for anchoring and positioning the upper portion of the lever to the upper portion of the column.

The lever includes at least one roller attached to the lower portion of the lever and movably engaged with the track of the base frame for guiding the lever to move along the track of the base frame.

The support device includes a casing slidably engaged with the lever, and a cushion disposed on the casing for supporting the user. The support device includes at least one roller attached to the casing and engaged with the lever.

The lever includes two parallel rails secured together, and the support device includes two shafts attached to the casing, and at least one roller attached to each of the shafts and engaged with the rails of the lever.

The support device includes at least one roller attached to the casing and engaged with a bottom of the rails of the lever. A latch may further be provided for selectively latching and locking the support device to the lever.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a swinging and climbing exercise apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the swinging and climbing exercise apparatus;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the swinging and climbing exercise apparatus;

FIG. 5 is another partial exploded view illustrating the operation of the swinging and climbing exercise apparatus;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are side plan schematic view illustrating the climbing exercise or operation of the swinging and climbing exercise apparatus; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views illustrating the operation of the swinging and climbing exercise apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a swinging and climbing or elevating exercise apparatus or combination in accordance with the present invention comprises a supporting base or base frame 10 including an arc or curved track 11 formed or provided in the rear portion 12 thereof, and including a support brace or column 13 extended upwardly from the front portion 14 thereof, a hand grip or handle 15 may further be provided and attached or mounted or secured on top of the column 13 for supporting the upper portion of the user 80 (FIGS. 6, 7). It is preferable that a flange or stop or anchor 16 is attached or mounted or secured on the upper portion 17 of the column 13 (FIG. 1).

An arm or lever 30 includes an upper portion 31 having a tube or barrel 32 attached or mounted or secured thereto, and the barrel 32 is pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted or secured onto the upper portion 17 of the column 13 and engaged with the anchor 16 which may stably anchor or position or retain the upper portion 31 of the lever 30 to the upper portion 17 of the column 13, and the barrel 32 is arranged and provided for allowing the lever 30 to be pivoted or rotated around or relative to the column 13. It is preferable, but not necessarily that the lever 30 includes one or more (such as two) parallel arcs or curved rails 33 attached or mounted or secured together to form the stable or solid structure for the lever 30.

The lever 30 includes one or more pulleys or wheels or rollers 34 attached or mounted or secured to the other end or lower portion 35 of the lever 30 and slidably or movably engaged with the arc or curved track 11 of the base frame 10 for stably guiding the lever 30 to pivot or rotate around or relative to the column 13 and for guiding the other end or lower portion 35 of the lever 30 to move along the arc or curved track 11 of the base frame 10. It is preferable that a bar 36 is attached or mounted or secured to the lower portion 35 of the lever 30 for stably or solidly securing or coupling the lower portions of the rails 33 of the lever 30 together and for supporting or attaching or mounting or securing the rollers 34, and/or a tube 37 is attached or mounted or secured to the upper portion 31 of the lever 30 for stably or solidly securing or coupling the upper portions of the rails 33 of the lever 30 together.

A support device 50 includes a casing 51 having one or more (such as two) rods or shafts 52 attached or mounted or secured to the lower or bottom portion of the casing 51, and having a pulley or wheel or roller 53 attached or mounted or secured to each of the ends of the shafts 52 and slidably or movably engaged with the upper portion of the rails 33 of the lever 30 for allowing the casing 51 or the support device 50 to smoothly move up and down along the rails 33 of the lever 30 (FIGS. 6, 7). The support device 50 may further include one or more (such as two) further wheels or pulleys or rollers 54 attached or mounted or secured to the lower or bottom portion of the casing 51 and slidably or movably engaged with the lower or bottom portion of the rails 33 of the lever 30 for further stably or solidly securing or coupling the casing 51 or the support device 50 to the rails 33 of the lever 30, and may further include a cushion 55 disposed or attached or mounted or secured on the casing 51 for softly and comfortably supporting the buttock portion, the knee portion, or the feet of the user 80.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, the user may hold the handle 15 and may move the casing 51 or the cushion 55 or the support device 50 or the other end or lower portion 35 of the lever 30 along the arc or curved track 11 of the base frame 10 in order to conduct the swinging or rotating or twisting exercises. As shown in FIGS. 5-7, the user 80 may also hold the handle 15 and may move the casing 51 or the support device 50 up and down along the rails 33 of the lever 30 in order to exercise or train his upper muscle groups; or, the user 80 may exercise or train his muscle groups in his abdominal portion in order to move the casing 51 or the support device 50 up and down along the rails 33 of the lever 30, such that the user 80 may exercise or train his upper muscle groups and abdominal muscle groups with a single exercise apparatus or machine.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the user may also hold the handle 15 and may move the casing 51 or the cushion 55 or the support device 50 or the other end or lower portion 35 of the lever 30 along the arc or curved track 11 of the base frame 10, and simultaneously, the user may also move the casing 51 or the support device 50 up and down along the rails 33 of the lever 30 in order to conduct the swinging or rotating or twisting exercises and to exercise or train his upper muscle groups and abdominal muscle groups simultaneously.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a fastener or catch or latch 60 may further be provided for selectively latching or locking or anchoring or securing or retaining the casing 51 or the support device 50 to the rails 33 of the lever 30 and for preventing the casing 51 or the support device 50 from moving upwardly and downwardly along the rails 33 of the lever 30. However, the user 80 and the casing 51 or the support device 50 have a tendency to move downwardly to the other end or lower portion 35 of the rails 33 of the lever 30 due to the gravity force such that the latch 60 is not necessarily be used to latch or lock or anchor or secure or retain the casing 51 or the support device 50 to the rails 33 of the lever 30. However, for safety purposes, the latch 60 may be provided for selectively latching or locking or anchoring or securing or retaining the casing 51 or the support device 50 to the rails 33 of the lever 30 and for preventing the casing 51 or the support device 50 from moving upwardly and downwardly along the rails 33 of the lever 30 by children or the other unauthorized persons inadvertently.

Accordingly, the swinging and climbing or elevating exercise apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a swinging structure and a climbing or elevating structure for allowing the user to conduct either the swinging exercise or the climbing exercise with a single exercise apparatus or machine.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a base frame including a track provided in a rear portion of said base frame, and including a column extended upwardly from a front portion of said base frame, a handle attached to said column for supporting a user,

a lever including an upper portion pivotally attached to an upper portion of said column, and including a lower portion movably engaged with said track of said base frame for guiding said lever to rotate relative to said column, and

a support device slidably and movably engaged with said lever for moving up and down along said lever.

2. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lever includes a barrel attached to said upper portion of said lever and pivotally engaged with said upper portion of said column.

3. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said column includes an anchor attached to said upper portion of said column and engaged with said barrel for anchoring and positioning said upper portion of said lever to said upper portion of said column.

4. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lever includes at least one roller attached to said lower portion of said lever and movably engaged with said track of said base frame for guiding said lever to move along said track of said base frame.

5. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support device includes a casing slidably engaged with said lever, and a cushion disposed on said casing for supporting the user.

6. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said support device includes at least one roller attached to said casing and engaged with said lever.

7. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said lever includes two parallel rails secured together, and said support device includes two shafts attached to said casing, and at least one roller attached to each of said shafts and engaged with said rails of said lever.

8. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said support device includes at least one roller attached to said casing and engaged with a bottom of said rails of said lever.

9. The exercise apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a latch for selectively latching and locking said support device to said lever.